Center PI: Malenka, Robert, Principal Investigator: Chen, Lu (Mouse Core) Summary The goal of the four Conte Center research projects is to explore novel molecular mechanisms underlying hippocampal synaptic plasticity and how these contribute to memory formation during behavioral learning. To facilitate this endeavor, the Conte Center Mouse Core is organized to achieve two aims. First, through the efforts of a full time technician working closely with experienced PI's and postdocs, it will provide a centralized service of mouse colony maintenance, distribution and genotyping for the needs of all four Conte Center projects. This will involve breeding and distributing the mice required for all projects; focusing on the many different lines of conditional knockout mice that will be used by individual projects to test specific hypotheses about the molecular mechanisms underlying LTP and homeostatic synaptic plasticity as well as a smaller number of Cre driver lines that will also be essential. Second, the Mouse Core will provide service and training to Conte Center scientists for all the procedures that are required for stereotactic injection of viruses in newborn and adult mice. Establishing standardized procedures for virus generation, handling, and injection in live animals as well as post-op care will greatly enhance biosafety and improve experimental efficiency. By providing these two essential services, the Mouse Core will reduce duplicate efforts among research teams and enhance the efficiency of standard procedures, thereby greatly facilitating the progress of the individual research projects and the Conte Center as a whole. PHS 398/2590 (Rev. 11/07) Page Continuation Format Page